Hairpin-crimping machinery



H. P. SMITH. HAIRPIN CRIMPING MACHINERY. APPLICATION FILED $59.29, 1922.

1,430,331 PatentedSept. 26, 1922.

` /L/ 5 2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

Z2 @In z im t; i fm //7 ZU n A9 H. P. SMITH.

HIRPN CRMPING MACHINERY. l APPL'lcATloN FILED FEB. 2o, 1922. 1,430,331 'Patell'dsept- 26, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

liatented Sept. 26, 1922.

UNTER@ STATES iJ-tENT OFFICE.-

HO IVIER SMITH, O3? APLETON7-V7ISCONS1N, ASSGNOR TO MARGARET SMITH, OF

APPLETON, VISCONSIN.

Hameln-cammina MACHINERY.

Application led February 20, 1922-. Serial No. 537,780.

i T 0 all 107mmz'z may concer/n:

Be it known that 1, Houma P. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at Appleton, in the county of Outagamie and State ot llfisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Hairpin-Urimping lilachinery, oi which the Jfollowing is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reiference being ing forming a part of this specification.

' This invention relates to improvements in hairpin crimping machinery and the process or making` an improved hairpin, and more particularly to an improved hairpin crimping machine whereby the crimps on the respective prongs ot the hairpin can be angularly displaced with respect to each other at any angle desired.

It has been universally recognized by those skilled in the art that hairpins itted with crinips on the respective prongs of the hairpin, which crimps are angularly disposed with respect to each other, would be much more satisfactory than hairpins in which the crimps on both prongs are positioned in the saine plane. The di'fliculty in making the improved hairpin with the angularly disposed crimps resides in the construction ot suitable machinery which would efficiently andv electively produce hairpins of the improved type.

lt is one of the objects ot this invention, therefore, to provide an improved machine of. this character whereby the crimps on the two prongs of the hairpin can be readily and ei'iiciently placed on said prongs at any angular relation to each other.

Another object of the invention resides in an improved means' for grippingl the wire during the crimping operation.

A further object of the invention resides in the production of an improved means 'for angularly displacing the wire gripping means between the successive crimping operations on the two prongs oit the hairpin.

in additional object consists in the production of improved means for adjusting the amount ot angular displacement to be obtained between the crimps on the prongs oi' the hairpin.

Other objects ofthe invention will be aphad to the accompanying drawparent from the following description; the accompanying drawings, and the appended claims. To simplify the description, a preferred form of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of the improved machine;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section taken on the plane represented byftheline 2-2 in Figure 4l of the wire-gripping and wire-rotating means, the apparatus' in the figure being illustrated in its normal position;

Fig. 3 is an illustration similar to Figure 2 with the wire-rotating means moved to its most advanced position;

Fig. l is al longitudinal section taken on the plane represented by the line 4 4; in Figure 2 and illustrates the wire-gripping means and the wire-crimping dies;

Fig. 5. is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the wire-gripping means taken on the plane represented by the line 5-5 of Figure Fig. 6 is an illustration of the wire-crimping die taken on the rplane represented by line 6-6 of Figure l;

Fig. 'i' is an enlarged view in perspective of the wire-gripping clutch; and,

Fig. 8 is an illustration of a hairpin in which the crimps on the respective prongs are angularly disposedat degrees.

As illustrated in the drawings, the wiregripping, `advancing and crimping means are preferably mounted on a suitable'table or standard 10 equipped with suitable legs such` as 11v and a machine-bed 12. Mounted upon the bed 12, as illustrated in Figure 1, is-the wire-gripping mechanism 13 and the mechanismof the two wire-crimping dies 14; and 15. Figure 1: also shows a diagrammatical form olf wire-advancing means 16. As illustrated in Figure 1, the wire 17 from which the hairpins are made is threaded through the wire-gripping means 13 and l the crimping dies 18 and 19, the wire-advancing means 16 being operated by means well known in the art to advance the wire 17 the length of the hairpin immediately after the -criinps have been impressed upon the two prongs of the hairpin. lThe wiregripping meansZO is operated by a cam 21l Jie positioned on a rotating disc 22. The disc 22 is mounted on a suitable shaft 23, Which shaft is rotatably mounted in any suitable bearings such as 24. Mounted on the same shaft are the cams 28 and 29 Which serve 'to operate the crimping dies 18 and 19.

is clearly illustrated in Figures 4, 5 and 7, the Wire-gripping means comprises a tapered clutch mechanism. This tapered clutch mechanism, as clearly illustrated in Figure 7, consists primarily of tivo cooperating conical sections 30 and 31, Which are fitted at their cente With a rectangular groove which serves to grip the Wire 17. rilhe conical sections 30 and 31 are itted in a tapered housing 33 in such a manner that when the conical sections 30 and 31 are advanced forwardly in said housing, they Will be drawn together, and the wire 17 Will be clamped in the rectangular gripping groove Obviously, the groove in said rectangular sections may taire any desired form, but the rectangular groove has given very satisfactory results. The conical housing 33 has an extension 34 Which is fitted with a cylindrical aperture 35 in which is mounted the helical spring 36. The helical spring 36 is retained in the cylindrical aperture 35 at one end by the adjusting nut 38, and at the other end by the Wire-clutch or gripping means comprising the tWo conical sections 30 and 31.

The twoconical gripping sections 30 and 31 are held in position in the tapered housing by means of a lever arm 40, which lever arm is pivoted at 41. As clearly illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, this lever arm 40 is pivotally mounted upon an upright 42 secured to the base-plate 12 of the machine table. The lever 40 is fitted at its upper end with the roller 43 and at its lower end With a protruding knob 44 Which rides against the ends of the conical gripping sections 30 and 31. rlhe knob 44 is fitted with an aperture 45, through which the Wire 17 is threaded. The roller 43, mounted on the upper end of the lover arinfl-O, rides upon the side face of the disc`22 and the cam surface 21 secured to the rotatable'disc 22. rThe spring 36, clearly illustrated in Figure 5, is always in compression, and tends to force the conical Wiregripping sections 30 and 31 out of the housing 33. The movement of the sections 30 and 31 out of the Vhousing 33 under the influence of the spring 36 is controlled by the knob 44 on the lever arm 40, the amount of said movement being equal to the rise of the cam. surface 21 above the plane side surface of the rotatingr disc 22. The amount of compression of the spring 36 can also be adjusted by the nut 38, as will clearly be evident lrom an inspection of Figure 5. The nut 38 is equipped with a central aperture through which the Wire 17 is also threaded. As clearly indicated in Figure 5, the Wire 17 passes through the aperture 45 fitted in the knob 44, then through the gripping aperture 32 of the conical grippingI sections 30 and 31, thence through substantially the center portion of the helical spring 36, and finally' through the aperture 5() of the adjusting nut 38 from Where the Wire 17 passes into and through the crimping dies 18 and 19.

From an inspection of Figure 5, it Will noW be evident that when the roller 43 of the lever arm 4() rides over the high point of the cam surface 211 the conical sections 30 and 31 will be advanced onto the housing 33, and, due to the tapered construction of the inside of said housing, which tapered surface is fitted with substantially the same slope as the external tapered surface of the sections 30 and 31, 'these sections lWill be lcompressed to grip the wires 17 in the gripping aperture 32. rllhe rotation of the disc 22 With its cooperating cam 21 is so timed in the machine that immediately after the Wire has been advanced preparatory to a crimping operation, this gripping means Will be actuated so as to lirmly grip the Wire between the conical sections 30 and 31.

1n the operation of the machine, after the Wire has been firmly gripped, one of the dies, 18 or 19, is operated to crimp the Wire. Following this crimping operation the Wire is rotated through a desired angle before the second crimping operation'is performed. This angular displacement of the Wire is performed by the mechanism illustrated in Figures 2 and 3, the angular displacement of 'the Wire being regulated and adjusted by the mechanism there shown.

As clearly illustrated in these .igures, the housing 33 is enclosed and has secured to it the gear Wheel 56. rlhis gear Wheel 56 meshes and cooperates with a rack 57 secured to the lower edge of a reciprocating bar 58. The bar 58 has attached to one end thereof a shoulder 59, which shoulder is fitted With perforations 60 and 61. Passing through the perforation GO is a cylindrical rod 62, the forward end 63 of Which is rectangular in shape. r1`he rectangular portion 63 of the said rod, as `shown in Figure 5, is equipped with a key 64 which rides in a key-Way 65 fitted in the upper portion of the reciprocating bar 58. Due to the cooperating action of the key-Way 65 and the key 64, the rod 63 may be slid upon the surface of the bar 58. The cylindrical portion 62 of the rod passes through the aperture 60 in the shoulder 59 of the rod 58 and extends 'through said aperture for ifiicientlength to receive the spiral spring 66, which spring is held on said rod against the shoulder 59 by means of the am nuts 67 threaded on the end of the rod 60. The rod 60, together with the integral rectangular portion 63 and the bar 58 are held in posit-ion by the housing 70.

The bar 58 is also preferably iitted with a cylindrical portion 71 on which is mounted the spiral spring 72. The spiral spring 72 is held on the cylindrical portion 71 ot the rod 58 by means of the shoulder 7 8 and the mounting bracket 74, secured to the bed-plate or the machine table by means or screws such as 75. The mounting bracket Til is perterated to permit the passage therethrough ot the end of the cylindrical rod 71, on which are secured the jam nuts 75, as clearly illustrated in Figures 2 and 8.

Mounted in the perforation 61 or the shoulder 59 is the adjusting bolt 78, which bolt determines the length et travel of the bar 58 when the said bar is advanced to rotate the gear 56 to angularly displace the wire 17 positioned in the machine. The bolt 78 is held in its adjusted position by the jam nut 79, and the amount or' angular displacement of the wire 17 is controlled by the positioning of the adjusting bolt 78.

Mounted on the rot-ating disc 22 is a projecting linger 80, which linger 80 is the means used for advancing the mechanism just described to rotate the wire through the desired angular displacement.

Figure 2 shows the wire rotating means in its normal position. As the disc 22 is rotated clockwise, the linger 80 strikes a protrusion 82 on the rectangular portion 63 of the rod 60. When the finger 8G hits the protrusion 82, the bar 58, together with the rod 60, is advanced and the bar 58, as it is advanced, rotates the gear 56 because of the cooperating inner action or the rack 57 and the said gear 56. The bar L18 will continue to advance until the end oic the adjustment bolt strikes the face ot the housing 70. lVhen the apparatus reaches this point in its operation, the bar 58 will cease to move and from this time on the rod 60,

together with its rectangular portion 68, will slide on the upper face of the bar 58 in the key and key-way hereinbefore described. The bar 58 and the rod 60 move together in the initial movement of this apparatus because the spiral spring 66 is considerably heavier and offers greater resistive power than the spiral spring 71. However, when the end oi the adjustment bolt 78 hits the face ot the housing 7 O, the bar 58 can move no further, and at this point the rod 62 will be advanced individually by the finger 80 which will continue to move the rod 62 against the compressive :torce of the spiral spring 66. This movement of the rod 62 against the resistive power or the spring 66 will continue until the finger 8O clears the protrusion 82, which condition or the apparatus is illustrated in Figure Il.

It will be evident from the foregoing description that as the bar 58 is advanced. and the rack 57 rotates the gear wheel 56, the

Wire 17 held in the conical gripping sections 30 and 81 will be rotated 'through an angular displacement depending upon the amount oi1 movement attained by the bai` 58. As hereinbeiore described the amount ot this movement is controlled and regulated by the adjustment bolt 78. slides over and by the protrusion 82 on the rectangular section 68 or the rod 62, the

the wire-advancin0V and crimine' mechab L: o

nism. A preferred form of ths die is illustrated in Figures il and 6. The dies are op-,

erated by cams such as 28 and 29, lwhich cams cooperate with rollers such as 90 and 91 positioned on the upper part of the movable portion ot the die. The lower part of the dies 92 and 98 are secured to the base plate 10 and lthe lower die proper 9e is adjusted in its proper position by any suitable means such as, or example, the adjustment nut 95, as clearly shown in Figs. et and 6. The die is held in its open position by means of spiral springs such as 96 and 97. 1n the operation or'. the die, when the high part oit the cam rides over either the roller 90 or 9i, the upper die proper 98 is depressed against the resistive torce of the spnngs 9 6 and 97 and the wire is crimped between the operating races of the lower die proper 9e and thev upper die proper 98. Obviously, any Jrorm of die construction could readily be used in place or the specific lormherein illustrated and described.

ln the operation of the machne, thewire is threaded through .the wire-gripping and rotating means, as illustrated in Figures 1, el and 5, and is then threaded through the two crimping dies. After-the wire has been threaded through the apparatus in thismanner, as shown in Eigure e, the machine may.

be started., whcli consist-s in driving the shaft 28 in any suitable manner. The rotation oi' the shaft 28 will rotate with it the disc 22 and the two cams 28 and 29 secured thereto. rl`he disc 22 and the cams 28 and 29 are so positioned on the shaft 23 that the various operations performed by the wiregripping means; the wire-rotating means, and the wire-crimping means will be operated in proper sequence and at the proper time. Thus, as the shaft 28 rotates, the irst operation of the machine consists in rotating the lever el() about its center 41 where- Ai'ter the inger 8O l' by the tapered sections 30 and 3l olil the wiregripping means will firmly grip the wire l? in position. lilhile the wire is thus gripped in this position, one ol the crimping dies will be next actuated to impress the crimp on one or the prongs olf' the ultimate hairpin.

immediately Yfollowing' this crimping operation, the wire rotating or angular' disilacing mechanism will be started. Thus, after the lirst crimping operation is performed, the linger 8O will strike the protrusion 82 on the rectangular portion ci the rod 62, and the wire-rotating means will operate and function as hereinbei'ore described to rotate the wire 1"? through the desired angular displacement. lilhen the wire has been thus displaced and while the linger 8O is advancinCf 'the rod 6:2 against the compressive action of the spring 6G, during which. period the rod 62 slides on the top surface oi the bar 5S, the second crlmping die is operated, which impresses the crimp on the second prong of the hairpin. inasmuch as the wire l? has been rotated through desired angle, this second crimp on the wire will be angularly displaced trom the crimp originally placed upon the wire, the angular displacement between 'the two crimps depending upon the amount of ioyement given'to the bar 5S, which, in turn, determines the amount or rotation of the gear 5G, he wire-gripping clutch and the wire i Following the second crimping operation, the linger SO slides over the protrusion 82 and the *faire rotating ineens s returned to its normal position under the action of the spring 66, as hereinbeifore described, and as illustrated in `ligure 2. it the same time, the lever arm 40 gradually rides oil of the face oi the cam surface 2l and the conical gripping sections 30 and Bl are pushed out of the housing 33 to release thewire 17. The wire-advancing means le is then operated to advance the wire i7 the length of another hairpin. `.hen the wire has been advanced, the operation just described will be repeated and another hairpin will be crimped.

ils illustrated in igurc 8, the hairpins which are made in this machine have the crimps on the respective prongs of said iairpin displaced at an angular position. rlfhe illustration in Figure 8 shows the hairpin with these crimps 98 and 99 displaced 90 degrees with respect to each other. @briously, with the mechanism hereinbeic'ore described, these crimps can be disposed at any desired angular displacement. The angular displacement of these crimps is controlled by the adjustment bolt 78, as hereinbetore described.

rl`he improved process for making hairpins ifieoei with aneularly disposed crimps on the respective prongs thereof, together with the machinery for making said'hairpins, produces these improved hairpins in a very etlicicnt, rapio and economical manner whereby the improved hairpin with the angular-ly [splaccd crimps can be made substantially elliciently and as cheaply as the ordinary type or hairpin in which the crimps on the respective prongs are disposed in the same plane. The machine lior making these improved types ot hairpins is extremely simple in its construction and comprises but tew ple pa'ls which are easily retained in adjustment and consequently the machine and the process can be efficiently and economically operated.

Ubrioiisly, the invention is not limited to the specii'ic embodiment thereof herein illustrated and described, but is capable of many variations and other applications within the spirit and scope olf the invention as set orth in the following claims. f

liilhat l claim as new and desire to secure bj; Letters Patent or t Ae United States is:

l. in improved process for making hairr)ins with angularly displaced crimps on the resi ective prongs oi said hairpin which consists in gripping the wire for the crimping tion on both irongs of said hairpin, tl, crimping one prong o1c Said hairpin, then rotating the said wire through the de- Ysied angular displacement and thereafter 'ng the second prong of said hairpin, n improved process for making hairiangularly displaced crimps on the re *pective prongs of said hairpin which consists in gripping the wire :tor the crimping operation on both prongs oi said hairpin, then criniping one prong of said hairpin, thon rotating the said wire through the desired 'ular displacement, thereafter crimp- Y second prong or" said hairpin, and finally returning the wire to its original enculer position, and then releasing the wire-gripping means.

8. in improved process for making hairpins with angularly disposed crimps on the respective prongs of said hairpin, which consists in gripping th wire for the crimping operation on both prongs of said hairpin and then rotating the wire through the seid desired angular displacement between the crimping operation on the two prongs ot the hairpin.

l. iin improved process for making hairpins with angularly disposed crimps on the rospcctii/'e prongs ot said hairpin, which consists in gripping the wire for the crimping operation; then crimping one prong of said hairpin, then rotating the said wiregripping means through the desired angular displacement, and thereafter crimping the second prong of said hairpin.

5. In a machine of the character de` scribed, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a Wire-gripping means, a plurality of Wire-crimping dies, and means tor rotating the Wire-gripping means following the operation of each Wire-crimping die.

6. In a machine oit the character' described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a Wire-gripping means, a plurality of Wire-crimping dies, and a cooperating gear and rack for rotating the Wire-gripping means following the operation oit each Wirecrimping die.

7. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a Wire-gripping means, a plurality oit Wire-crimping dies, means for rotating the Wire-gripping means, and means for adjusting the angular displacement of said rotation.

8. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a tapered clutch Wire gripping means adapted to grip said Wire, a Wire-crimping means adapted to crimp the said Wire after it is gripped by said clutch, and a means for rotating said Wire in said gripping` means after said crimping operation.

9. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a tapered clutch, a housing for re ceiving said tapered clutch to grip said Wire, a Wire-crimping means adapted to crimp said Wire after it is gripped by said clutch, and means for rotating said clutch. With the Wire in its gripped position after it has been crimped.

10. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a tapered clutch Wire-gripping means adapted to grip said Wire, a tapered clutch housing adapted to receive said tapered clutch to grip said Wire, a Wire-crimping means adapted to crimp the said Wire after it is gripped by said clutch, a gear surrounding and secured to said tapered clutch housing, a rack cooperating with said gear, means for moving the rack to rotate the said clutchhousing, clutch and gripped vvire a'tter said Wire has been crimped, and a second Wire crimping means adapted to crimp said Wire after it has been rotated.

11. In a machine ot the character described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a tapered clutch Wire-gripping means adapted to grip said Wire, a tapered clutch housing adapted to receive said tapered clutch, means for advancing the tapered clutch in said housing whereby said clutch Will grip said Wire, a Wire-crimping means adapted to crimp the said Wire after it has been thus gripped, and a Wire-rotating means adapted to rotate said vvire after it has been crimped.

12. In a machine of the character described, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a Wire-gripping means, a plurality ot Wirerrimping dies, means :tor rotating the Wire-gripping means, and adjustable means adapted to automatically determine the amount ot angular displacement of said Wire-rotating means. l

13. In a machine of the character d escribed, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a Wire-gripping means', a plurality of Wire-crimping dies, means for rotating the Wire-gripping means following each Wire crimping die operation, and adjustable means for determining the amount ot rotation of the Wire-gripping means.

la. In a machine of the character describe-d, in combination, a Wire-advancing means, a tapered clutch adapted to grip said Wire, a tapered clutch housing adapted to re` ceive said tapered clutch. means for operating said tapered clutch in the saidv housing to grip said Wire, Wire-crimping means adapted to crimp the said wire after it is gripped by said clutch, a gear surrounding and secured to said tapered clutch housing, a rack cooperating with said gear, means to move said rack to rotate said clutch housing,

adjustable means adapted to determine the amount of said raclr movement, and a second Wire-crimping means adapted to crimp said Wire after it has been rotated.

15. In a device of the characterl described, the combination with a Wire-crimping means, ot a Wire-gripping means comprising two cooperating conical sections, a ,Wire-gripping groove in said sections, a conical housing for said gripping sections, means for advancing said sections in said housing to grip said `Wire, and a gear and rack cooperating With said housing to rotate said Wire when held in said gripping means.

16. In a device of the character described, the combination with a Wire-crimping means, of a wire-gripping means comprising tivo cooperating conical sections, a. Wire-gripping `groove in said sections, a conical housing for said gripping sections, means for advancing said sections in said housing to grip said Wire, a gear and rack cooperating With said housing to rotate said Wire when held in said gripping means, and means for adjusting the amount of said rotation.

17. In a device of the character described, the combination with a Wirebrimping means, ot a Wire-gripping means comprising tWo conical cooperating sections, a Wire-grip. ping groove in said sections, a conical housing for said gripping sections, means for advancing said sections in said housing to grip said Wire, a gear and rack cooperating with said housing to rotate said Wire when held in said gripping sections.l a spring resisting the movement of said rack, and

means operated to automatically return said rotating said Wire through a desired anguraek to its normal position after the crininlar displacement between the successive 0png operation is completed. erations of said plurality of crimping means. l()

18. n a device of the Character described, En Witness whereof, Lhave hereunto sub- Jche Combination with a phiraiity of Wirescribed my naine.

crimping means, of a Wire-rotating means comprising a Cooperating gear and rack for HOMER P. SMITH. 

